Multiport valve



arm!" March 1, 1960 R. A. WHITLOCK, JR 2,926,698

MULTIPORT VALVE Filed May 2, 1955 -WW@ &. w

United States Patent MULTIPORT VALVE Robert A. Whitlock, 1., Rockford, 111., assignor to Aqua- Matic Inc., Rockford, Ill., acorporation'of Illinois Application May 2, 1955, Serial No. 505,249 6 Claims. Cum-625.29

This invention relates to valves and more particularly to a multiport valve for reversibly controlling the flows ,to and from the water treating apparatus.

An important object of this invention is the provision Another object of this invention is the provision of an improved construction for a multiport valve of the lift turn type to minimize leakage between the ports in the valve when the rotor is in its seated position.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an improved gasket construction for a lift'turn multiport valve which simplifies installation of the gasketon the valve and which efficiently seals the interface between the stator and rotor when the latter is seated.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of an irnproved operating mechanism for lifting, turning and reseating the rotor on the stator.

These, together with various ancillary objects and advantages ofthis invention will be more readily appreciatcd as the samebecomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein-:-

Figure 1 is a side elevational view. of the valve with parts broken away and shown in sections to illustrate details of construction;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the valve,

taken on the plane 22 of Fig. 1 and showing the rotor in the serviceposition thereof;

' Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the valve, taken on the plane 3- 3 of Fig. 1 showing the rotor in the salting position;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of thevalve with the valve cap removed;

r Fig. 5 is a plan view of the gasket member for sealing the interface between the rotor and stator; and

.Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of a water treatment apparatus "embodyingthe valve of the present invention. The multiport valve 10 is arranged to reversibly control theflows of fluid 'to and from the treatment apparatus such as filters and s o ft'eners andis particularly designed for use with a hand Salted type water softening apparatus, diagrammatically shown inQFig. 6. In conjunctionwith such oftening apparatus, the valve is arranged to 'selectively pass liquid from the' inlet line 11 to either conduit flzleading to the top of the tank or to the conduit 13 leading to the bottom of the tank 14. During the normal service run, the'valv is positioned to pass liquid from the inlet conduit'll through the top conduit 12 to the upper endof' the treatment tank 14, the treated water fiowingfrom thelbottom of the tank through the conduit 13'and through the valve 10 to an outlet conduit 15 whichis connected to the service line 16. When regenerating the water treatment apparatus, the valve is operable to'communicate the inlet line 11 with the lower conduit 13 and also to communicate the upper conduit .Tillwitht a ufle sqsdsit i t9 ths brr vtt t direc- 2,926,698 Patented Mar. 1,

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tion of flow through the treatment tank and effect backwashing. During backwashing, an auxiliary valve desig nated 17 is provided and is arranged to be opened to pass the effluent from the outlet conduit 15 to the drain conduit 18. As previously described, the valve is particularly adapted for use with the hand salted type water softening apparatus and, in accordance with the present invention, is constructed to permit draining of the treatment tank 14 after backwashing preparatory to the addition of salt to the tank. v i r The valve 10 comprises a body 21 having a fiat valve face 22 on the underside'thereof. Four annularly spaced ports designated 23-26 inclusive are provided in' the ported face and are each spaced equally from the center of the ported face and from-each other/Radially extending passages 27-30 inclusive are formed in the body in communication with the ports 23-26 respectively, which passages preferably communicate at the periphery of the body and are internally threaded as best shown in Fig. 2 for connection to the several conduits-in the water treating system. Acentral bore 32 is formed in the body to extend therethrough and -slidably and rotatablyreceives the stem 33 of the rotor 34. I

The rotor 34 has an annular face 35 cooperable with the ported valve face in the stator body 21 to control the flows of fluid through the ports therein and, in accordance with the present invention, the rotor is formed with a pair of arcuate chambers-37 and 38 which open along the entire length thereof atthe fiat face 35 onxthe rotor. The rotor 34 overlies all of the ports 23-26 in the stator body, in each of the positions of the rotor when the latter is seated on the ported valveface 22, to block the flows of fluid from the ports in the stator body around the periphery of the rotor. The chambers 37 and 38 in the rotor are arranged to control the flows of fluid through the ports and shaped so that when the rotor is in one position, hereinafter referred to as the service position, the chamber 37 communicates the inlet port-23 with the port 24 leading to the top of the treatment tanlgand the chamber 38 communicates the port 26 leading from the bottom of the treatmenttanki with the outlet port 25, as best shown in Fig. 2. The rotor is manually operable to a second position, in a manner described more fully hereinafter, to displace the rotor in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the top of the valve, from the service position'previously described, to reverse the fiows of fluid through the treatment apparatus. In this last-mentioned position, hereinafter referred to as a backwash position, the chamber 38 communicates the inlet port 23 with the port 26 leading to the bottom of the tank and the chamber 37 communicates the port 24 leading from the top of the tank to the outlet port 25.

The chambers 37 and 33 are oriented on the rotor and the ports in the stator body are shaped to permit blocking of the how through the inlet port and communication-or" the'outlet port 25 with both of the'adjacent ports 24 and 26 leading to the top and bottom of the treatment tank, in a third position of the rotor, hereinafter referred to-as the salting position. This effects draining of the liquid from the treatment tank and permits the opening of the tank cap to introduce salt into the tank for the purpose of regenerating the bed of exchange material therein. As best shown in Fig. 3, the chambers 37 and 38 are spaced apartat one end thereof a distance greater than the open area of the inlet port 23 to provide a flat closure member 41 therebetweemwhich closure member is arranged to overlie the inlet port 23 and block the flow therethrough. The other ends of the chambers37-and 38 are spaced apart adistance less than the open area of the diametrically opposed outlet port 25 wherebythe chambers are effective to communicate the outlet port with each of the top and bottom ports in the stator body the-gasket and the stator face. quently 'reseat properly on the gasket.

.when the closure member 41 is, positioned to overlie the inlet port.

A gasket 42 is interposed between the ported face 22 on the stator body and the rotor 34 to seal the interface therebetween. The'gasket, 'as best shown in Fig. 5, has a central opening 43throughwhich the rotor stem 33 slid- .ably and rotatably extends, and a plurality of annularly spaced .ports 23a-26a respectively, which registerwith the corresponding ports 2326 in the ported stator. In a lift-turn type valve, the gasket tends to separate from -the stator face when the stator is moved away therefrom, "and when the rotor is reseated on the gasket, a quantity of fluid would be trapped between the gasket and the stator.face and prevent proper reseating of the rotor. It ahas accordingly been the practice heretofore to atfix the -:-gasket to either the rotor orthe stator. In some applications, the ga'skethas been afixed to the'portedstator face :-by an adhesive and in others by metal fasteners and bush- '--ings which surround the gaskets at each of the ports and clarnp the latter to the stator face.

In accordance with the present invention, the gasket 43 is constructed so that it may be attached to the stator face without separate clamps at each of the stator ports or an adhesive and which, when mounted thereon, will effectively seal the interface between the rotor and stator. As best shown in Fig. 1, the periphery of the gasket 42-is clamped to the stator by means of an imperforate casing 45 which overlies the rotor 34 and defines a fluid chamber 46 therewith. The casing 45 is attached to the stator body 21 by fasteners 47 whereby the gasket is effective to. seal the interface between the stator and the casing 45 and the latter retains the gasket on the stator body. The gasket 42, inwardly of the periphery thereof, loosely overlies the ported face 22 on the stator body and is free to separate from either the stator or the rotor as the latter is moved away from the stator.

In order to prevent pocketing of a quantity of fluid between the gasket and -is' seated, and thus prevent pocketing of fluid between The rotor will conse- The'rotor 34 is yieldably retained in its seated position by the fluid pressure in the chamber 46 defined by the casing 45, which fluid pressure is assisted by a spring 51 interposed between the rotor 34 and the casing. Advantageously, the chambers 37 and 38 on the rotor are formed-so as to define a central depression 52 therebetween and the spring 51 is shaped to extend upwardly into the central depression. This permits the casing to extend into closely spaced adjacency to the underside of the rotor, sufiicient clearance being provided only to permrt displacement of the rotor away from the ported stator r face and turning of the rotor while thus displaced into its next rotational position. Further, the central depression also effects centering of the spring with relation to the rotor and prevents applying pressure thereto eccentrically of-the axis of the rotor.

The upper end of the rotor stem 33 extends through a packing gland 54. The stem 33 thus functions as a pis- ='ton having one end exposed to the fluid pressure in chamber- 46 and the other end exposed to atmospheric pressure. This pressure unbalance on the stern urges 4 an axially elongatedannular groove 53 which opens at the bore 55 therein. A resilient -O-ring 50, formed of rubber or the like and having a thickness slightly greater than the depth of the groove, is disposed therein to seal the interface with the stem. As is apparent, the O-ring is free to move axially in the groove 53 as the stem is reciprocated, and may roll .as well as slide in the groove. This reduces the frictional resistance imposed by the gland to reciprocation of the stem and facilitates move.- ment of the rotor towards and away from the ported valve face. Under normal line pressure, the'pressure unbalance on the stem has been found sufficient to overcome the friction on the stem and seat the rotor. However, in order to insure-operation at low line pressures a relatively light spring 51 is provided to-assist in seating the valve rotor.

An operating mechanism is connected to the upper end of the valve stemfor selectivelydisplacingfthe rotor away from the stator. fa'ce'arilcl- 'turning the5 rotor to its next rotational position. "ln accordance with the present invention, a' dome-shaped cap 56 is attached toithe upper side of the stator body andis formed with a flatbearing surface 57 which overlies the upper end of the rotor stem 33. An operating lever 58 is formed with a nose portion 59 intermediate its ends, which nose portion is adapted toengage the bearing surface 57 toform a fulcrum for the lever. An end portion 61 of the lever extends loosely between spaced upwardly extending ears 62 formed on the end of the rotor stem, which end portion is formed with a cam surface63 on the underside thereof adapted to engage the end of the rotor stem and displace the rotor away from the stator as the lever is shifted aroundthe nose; portion '59. Anotch 64 is formed in the end portion 61 and; opens away from the cam surface 63 and a pin 65 is carried by the ears and extends loosely through the notch'to retain the operating lever in position on the stem. An opening 66 is pro vided in the periphery of the cap 156 and extends'part way therearound to permit the operating lever, to extend outwardly thereof. An arcuate segment 67 having a plurality of locating notchesisfornted at the lower edge of the opening .66 to facilitate 'indexing'of the operating handle between the different rotative positions. As best shown in Figs. 1 and 4, a plurality of notches68'70 are formed in the cam track '6'l.t'o..receive the operating lever in each of the rotativepositionslthereof; In order to move the lever and rotor. between positions it isnecessary to raise the lever out of one of. the notches-whereby the lever fulcrums aboutthe nose, portion 59-and the cam surface 63 urgesthe rotor in a'direction' from the stator. As the operating leveris moved to its n'cxt position, the end portion 61 on the lever engages-the s'paced ears' 62'to turn the rotor with the operating lever 'to, the next operating position. When'the lever is released, it moves under its own weight into a notch inthe cam track and the rotor moves to its'seated position under the combined action .of the fluid pressure in the chamber 46 and'the spring 51. As is apparent, the .endof the rotor stem 33 remote from'the .rotor is exposed to atmospheric .pressure and thus functions as a piston,

Et en when the fluid pressures onopposite'. sides of the rotor are equal, the difference in the areas at opposite sides thereof which are exposed 'tofluid pressure'will produce a differential hydraulic thrust on the rotor in a direction to urge the latter towards its seated position. The spring 51 is provided to supplement the hydraulic pressure primarily when the valve is operating under low the topwof thetreatment tank :14 and the chamber 3 8 communicatestheport 26 leading to the bottom-of the treatment tankwith-the outlet port"25. The water flows from the outlet port through conduit I S-to the service line 16. When it:is* desired to regenerate the treatment apparatus,rthe operating *:lever 53 is; raised whereby it fulcrums about the nose portion 59 andzcam operates the rotor istem ina direction to move the rotoriaway from'the stator face, The leveris-then turned to a position-which is 90 from the service positionandthe operating lever then released to permit the rotor to reseat on the stator. As therotor reseats 'it engages the gasket 4-2 and seals the various ports in the stator-fromthechamber 46; Any fluid entrapped between the gasket and :the stator will bleed through-the openings 48 in the gasket whereby pocketing of fluid'betwee-n the gasket ,the' statoris prevented. In this, the backwash po lt1QIYOf the-valve, r the chamber 38 communicates'the inlet port with the bottom port zfi and the chamber 37:

communicates the top port 24 with the outlet port 25. The auxiliary valve17 in the drain line 18'is opened, either before or aftenmovment of the multiport valve to its backwash position whereby fluid' flows from the outlet conduit to the drain conduit 18. Preferably, a flow restriction 75 is provided in the drain line, either separate from the auxiliary valve 17 or formed as a part thereof, to limit the rate of flow of fluid through the treatment tank 1 t duringbackwashing. By reguto service "during ,regenerationl' After the softening apparatus has been backwashed, the operating lever is moved to a position shown in Fig. 3 intermediate the service and backwashing positions. As previously described, the rotor is constructed to have a closure member 41 arranged to overlie the inlet port and block flow therethrough, the ends of the chambers 37 and 38 remote from the closure member being spaced apart less than the open area of the outlet port to thereby communicate the outlet port with the top and bottom ports 24 and 26 respectively. This effects drainmg of the softening tank and permits the introduction of the salt into the top of the tank. The valve is then moved back to the service position and the auxiliary valve maintained in a position to open the drain line for a time interval suflicient to pass the regenerant through the bed of exchange material and rinse the latter. The auxiliary valve 17 is thereafter closed and the treatment apparatus returned to service.

I claim:

1. In a multiport valve, a body having a flat ported face and passages communicating with the ports in said face, a gasket formed of a thin resilient material loosely overlying said ported face and having ports therein registerlng with the ports in said face, a casing attached to said body and engaging the periphery of said gasket to clamp the latter to said ported face and form a fluid chamber at one side thereof, a rotor in said casing engageable with said gasket inwardly of said casing and cooperable with said ported face to control the flows of fluid therethrough, and means for turning said rotor between preselected rotational positions to establish different fiows through said ported face, said gasket having a plurality of openings extending therethrough and located radially outward from the ports in said face between the peripheiy of the rotor and the casing for equalizing the fluid pressures at opposite sides of said gasket outwardly of the periphery of said rotor.

In amultiportvalve, a body having a flat ported,

face and passages communicating with the ports in said face, agasket formed of a thin resilientmaterial loosely overlying said ported face and having ports therein registering with the ports in said face, a casing attached to said body and engaging the periphery of said. gasket member to clamp the latter to said ported face and form a fluid chamber at one side thereof, a rotor in said casing engageable with said gasket inwardly of said casing and cooperable with said ported face to control the flows of fluid therethrough, and means operable to move said rotor axially away from said gasket, to turn the rotor while displaced away from the gasket and thereafter reseat the rotor on the gasket, said gasket having a plurality of openings extending therethrough and located radially out ward from the ports in said face between-the outer periphery of the rotor and the inner periphery of said casing for equalizing the pressures at opposite sides of the gasket between said rotor and the casing.

3.- In a multiport valve, a valve body including a valve face on one end thereof having a plurality of ports therein and passages communicating with said ports, said body having a bore therein extending perpendicular to said valve face, an imperforate casing attached to said body and defining a chamber at said one end thereof, a rotor disposed in said chamber and cooperable with said valve face to control the flow of fluid therethrough, a stem rigidly attached to said rotor and slidably, and rotatably received in said bore to support said rotor on said body for movement toward and away from said face and for turning movement relative thereto, said stern being operative to prevent tilting of said rotor 'relat1ve to said face and having the end thereof remote from said rotor ex-.

posed to the atmosphere whereby to produce a fluid pressure unbalance on the rotor and shaft assembly in a direction to urge the rotor toward said valve face, and means engageable with the end of said stem remote from said rotor for moving said rotor away from said valve face and for turning said rotor between different rotative settings thereof.

4. In a. multiport valve, 21 valve body including a valve face on one end thereof having a plurality of ports therein and passages communicating with said ports, said body having a bore therein extending perpendicular to said valve face, an imperforate casing attached to said body and defining a chamber at said one end thereof, a rotor disposed in said chamber and cooperable with said valve face to control the flow of fluid therethrough, a stem rigidly attached to said rotor and slidably and rotatably received in said bore to support said rotor on said body for movement toward and away from said face and for turning movement relative thereto, said stem being operative to prevent tilting of said rotor relative to said face and having the end thereof remote from said rotor exposed to the atmosphere whereby to produce a fluid pressure unbalance on the rotor and shaft assembly in a direction to urge the rotor toward said valve face, spring means for urging said rotor toward its seated position, a lever engageable with the upper end of said stem and having limited lost-motion with respect thereto in a direction axially of said stem, said lever being operative when moved in one direction to extend said stem and unseat' said rotor, said lost-motion between said lever and said stern being suflicient to prevent said lever from moving said rotor to its seated position whereby said rotor is urged toward its seated position solely by said spring means and the fluid pressure unbalance on said motor and stem assembly.

5. In a multiport valve, a valve body including a valve face on one end thereof having a plurality of ports therein and passages communicating with said ports, said body having a bore therein extending perpendicular to said valve face, an imperforate casing attached to said body and defining a chamber at said one end thereof, a rotor disposed in said chamber and cooperable with said valve face to control the flow of fluid therethrough, a stem rigidly attached to said rotor and slidably and rotatably received in said bore to support said rotor on said body for movement toward and away from said face and for turning movement relative thereto, said stem being operative to prevent tilting of said rotor relative to said face and having the end thereof remote from said rotor exposed to the atmosphere whereby to produce a fluid pressure unbalance on the rotor and shaft assembly in a direction to urge the rotor toward said valve face, a cap attached to said body and having an annular hearing surface overlying the end of said stem remote from said rotor, an ear on the end of said stem remote from said rotor, an operating lever having a handle portion and a nose portion intermediate the ends thereof engageable with said bearing surface to form a fulcrum for said lever, a cam portion on the other end of said lever disposed alongside said ear and engageable with the end of said stem to move the rotor away from the valve face when the lever is pivoted in one direction about said nose portion, and a pin on said ear spaced from said lever when the cam portion thereon engages said stem to provide limited lost motion therebetween.

6. In a multiport valve, a valve body including a valve face on one end thereof having a plurality of ports therein and passages communicating with said ports, said body having a bore therein extending perpendicular to said valve face, an imperforate casing attached to said body and defining a chamber at said one end thereof, a rotor disposed in said chamber and cooperable with said valve face to control the flow of fluid therethrough, a stern rigidly attached to said rotor and slidably and rotatably received in said bore to support said rotor on said body for movement toward and away from said face and for turning movement relative thereto, said stem being operative to prevent tilting of said rotor relative to said face and having the end thereof remote from said rotor exposed to the atmosphere whereby to produce 8. a fluid pressure'unbala'nce on the rotor and shaft assembly in a direction to urge the rotor toward said valve face, a cap attached to said body and having an annular hear ing surface overlying'the end ofsaid stem remote from said rotor, an ear on the end of said stem remote from said rotor, an operating lever having a handle portion and a nose portion intermediate the ends thereof engageable with said bearing surface to form a fulcrum for said lever, a cam portion' on the other end of said lever disposed alongside said ear and engageable with the end of said stem to move the rotor away from the valve face when the lever is pivoted in one direction about said nose portion, said lever having a notch therein opening in a direction away from said cam portion, and a pin on said ear extending through said notch to prevent accidental detachment of said lever from said stem, said pin being spaced from said lever when the cam portion thereon engages said stem to provide limited lost-motion between said stem and said lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 174,957 Hill Mar. 21, 1876 749,990 Holinger Jan. 19, 1904 1,171,116 Haeseler Feb. 8, 1916 1,910,753 Colvin May 23, 1933 2,042,186 Peterson May 26, 1936 2,111,169 Clark Mar. 15, 1938 2,253,020 Daniels -Aug. 19, 1941 2,355,932 Walton Aug. 15, 1944 2,364,697 Daniels Dec. 12, 1944 2,578,160 Vanderserfi Dec. 11, 1951 2,590,263 Mead et al. Mar. 25, 1952 2,653,003 Overbeke Sept. 27, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 10,716 Great Britain Oct. 14, 1899 649,966 Great Britain Feb. 7, 1951 -n- W. w t, 

